Catch me if you can...

While I was standing on the deck this morning, enjoying the birds, I spotted something with distinctive wing bars flitting in one of the pine trees.  Quickly grabbed a camera...just in time to see said flitty bird fly across the yard and up high into a red cedar.  Determined to get a shot, I fired (pretty much blindly) and managed to get one shot that gave me the ID - a blue-headed vireo.  Yard bird # 37 for my visual record.  

It's been a few years since I've logged one of these little insectivores in our yard, so I'm pleased.  Not all that pleased with the photo, but it's what I've got.   I actually got a better shot of this species last week when I was in the field - you can see it HERE on Flickr.

I posted three other shots from today on Flickr that are all technically better than this one and if you'd like to see them, they start HERE with a molting goldfinch, followed by a purple finch and a close up of a robin.

Finally got out on the water today with the new kayak.  We ended up taking the inflatable too and Hubs paddled that while I paddled the new Pelican.  The new ride is 1) slightly less stable, 2) easier to paddle in lilies and water vegetation, and 3) faster.  After we paddled around both lakes, we switched so Hubs could try out the new ride, too.  It's a little harder to load and unload from the roof rack, but I can manage it so I'm a happy camper.  In short, I am pleased with it and anticipate a lot of hours of enjoyment ahead.  When we pulled into the boat launch, a friend I haven't seen since Covid started came along (he'd been on one of the trails along the lake) so he and I had a wonderful visit while poor Hubs did all the hard work of unloading/inflating.  

Planning an easy dinner of pasta tonight.  It was going to be served with homemade no-knead bread until I realized a couple of hours ago that I'd completely forgotten to add the yeast.  Duh.

Take care, be safe.

xo
Debbi